Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza, has strongly criticised the current high price of cement in Ghana, describing the GH¢120 per bag price as unfair and exploitative to ordinary Ghanaians.
He argued that a more reasonable cement price should be GH¢95.
Addressing the media in Parliament ahead of the mid-year budget review presentation, hesaid, "In my view, GH¢95 makes sense instead of the so-called GH¢120 cedis, which I call rent-seeking and so much unfair to the ordinary Ghanaian." He expressed disappointment that while the prices of most commodities have fallen in response to the recent economic improvements, cement dealers have refused to pass on these gains to consumers. "Whilst every other commodity in terms of price has responded to the gains we have all made together as a country and as a people by reducing prices, cement dealers are refusing to pass on the gains to buyers," he said.
Minister Agbodza warned that the Ministry of Roads and Highways will take a second look at cement producers who refuse to lower their prices when awarding government contracts. "We will be more aligned to producers who are ready to pass on the gains made in the economy in terms of currency stability to consumers," he added.
